¶ My son, forget¹ not my law; but let² thine heart keep my commandments:

For length³ of days, and long life⁴, and peace⁵, shall they add to thee.

Let not mercy⁶ and truth forsake thee: bind⁷ them about thy neck; write⁸ them upon the table of thine heart:

So shalt⁹ thou find favour and good understanding¹⁰ in the sight of God and man.

Trust¹¹ in the LORD with all thine heart; and¹² lean not unto thine own understanding.

In¹³ all thy ways acknowledge him, and¹⁴ he shall direct thy paths.

¶ Be¹⁵ not wise in thine own eyes: fear¹⁶ the LORD, and depart from evil.

It shall¹⁷ be health¹⁸ to thy navel, and marrow¹⁹ to thy bones.

²⁰Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

¶²¹So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

My²² son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither²³ be weary of his correction:

²⁴For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

¶ Happy is the²⁵ man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth²⁶ understanding.

²⁷For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

She is more²⁸ precious than rubies: and all²⁹ the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

Length³⁰ of days is in her right hand; and³¹ in her left hand riches and honour.

Her ways are ways of³² pleasantness, and all³³ her paths are peace.

³⁴She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.

The LORD³⁵ by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established³⁶ the heavens.

¶ By his knowledge the depths³⁷ are broken up, and the clouds³⁸ drop down the dew.

¶ My son, let³⁹ not them depart from thine eyes: keep⁴⁰ sound wisdom and discretion:

So shall they be life⁴¹ unto thy soul, and grace⁴² to thy neck.

⁴³Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.

When thou liest⁴⁴ down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and⁴⁵ thy sleep shall be sweet.

Be⁴⁶ not afraid of sudden fear, neither⁴⁷ of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.

For the LORD⁴⁸ shall be thy confidence, and shall keep⁴⁹ thy foot from being taken.

¶ Withhold⁵⁰ not good from them to whom it is due⁵¹, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.

⁵²Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.

Devise not evil⁵³ against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.

¶⁵⁴Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.

Envy⁵⁵ thou not the oppressor⁵⁶, and choose⁵⁷ none of his ways.

For the froward⁵⁸ is abomination to the LORD: but his⁵⁹ secret is with the righteous.

The curse⁶⁰ of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth⁶¹ the habitation of the just.

Surely he scorneth⁶² the scorners: but he giveth⁶³ grace unto the lowly.

The wise⁶⁴ shall inherit glory: but⁶⁵ shame shall be the promotion of fools⁶⁶.